Gay conversion therapy is any treatment that aims to turn gay, lesbian, or transgender individuals into heterosexuals. The patients are predominantly minor sor young adults, many of whom are forced or pressured into therapy.
According to researchers at the Williams Institute (UCLA School of Law), thousands of young American LGBT people - an estimated 20,000 teenagers aged 13 to 17 - will undergo conversion therapy from a licensed healthcare professional before they turn 18.
Also referred to as "reparative" therapy, counselling, prayer are used to try and "cure" people, but it has been widely discredited by health experts for risking causing emotional and psychological damage.
Conversion therapy is still legal in 41 states across the US, including Massachusetts and New York.
It is legal in the UK.
The new study suggests an estimated 57,000 young people will receive the treatment from a religious or spiritual advisor.
Researchers also found nearly 700,000 LGBT adults in the US have already received conversion therapy at some point in their lives, including 350,000 who were subjected to the practice as adolescents.
According to the study, 6,000 youth ages 13 to 17 would have received conversion therapy before they reached adulthood if their state had not banned the practice.
Although talk therapy is a common technique, some practitioners have used “aversion treatments” such as inducing nausea, vomiting or applying electric shocks.
Several prominent professional health associations in the US, including the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, have publicly opposed the use of conversion therapy..
I think that we must ensure that families, faith communities and service providers have accurate information about sexual orientation and gender identity and work to reduce stigma and promote acceptance of LGBT youth and their families.
Gay conversion therapy is harmful and unethical.
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